Seven Spires For The Midnight Eye
by Breaker-Power-Trip
Summary: Alas the swan cried in guilt "May God forgive me for I
1. Letter To God

Chapter 1 "Letter To God"  
  
Grains of sand dance in the air of the late night's breeze, as it whispers over the lifeless desert. A man broken to his knees at the edge of the cliff, basking in the full moon's light. His long shadow looming over three crude, wooden crosses planted in the desert below him. Its been four years since he was eternally torn from the only people he has ever learned to love. The bodies of his wife, son, and best friend all rest beneath the sands. So many times he has returned here in solitude. Unable to let go of the life he once lived. He often wonders why he continues to live. Sometimes he lacks the very will to fight, but still feels guilty when thoughts of quitting fill his mind. Its been four years since they left him, and four years is a long time to wonder the Earth alone.  
  
It all seems like it was just yesterday. Images of his life race through his mind. From the time of his birth to the days of his enslavement. He now drifts in the memories of a broken man raped of all his honor. Many nights he finds himself restless, unable to sleep for the life of him. He is trapped, reliving the past in his mind at every waking moment of the day. Every second is carefully chiseled into his mind like an epitaph. So many times he has tried to destroy these images and severe his mind from the apparitions that haunt him.  
  
"I will love you forever" He hears the sweat voice of his late wife, Sophia, ringing in his head. The image of Sophia holding their new born son, Thomas, is engraved in his heart. She is the angel that helps him through each passing day and the succubus that torments him all through the nights. She was everything to him. She was all he ever wanted, all he ever needed. It seems like it all just happened yesterday, but it was for years ago to this day. 


	2. The Battle Of Morgenheim

Chapter 2 "The Battle Of Morgenheim"  
  
"Follow us to the chosen one!" A man shouted from on top of an AC. The AC strategically standing behind a wall of MT's. Each MT fashioned in a white cloak. The white cloaks each baring the group's crest. The crest was unnoticed by some and feared by others, yet significant to all who came in contact with it. These invading MT pilots were heretics promoting their religious believes. They called themselves "The Keepers of God's Will", but most people just referred to them as "The Keepers". All who refused to follow them and opposed them were murdered.  
  
Down poured a sour midnight rain screaming out over an ashen plane. Mournful souls cried for their lives, others were slain out right without question, without answer. A choir of screams rang out across the city. An orchestra of missile volletys and machine gun blasts howled through the night. The shells of fired rounds echoed across the cracked and torn pavement streets as they fell to the ground. Families huddled together, petrified in fear as they were engulfed in flames. A look of sadistic glee posed across the faces of each MT pilot as the purged the Earth of the damned and unworthy.  
  
It was the darkest of days in the town of Morgenheim. The citizens ran for their lives just to be wiped out by a hail of gun fire. Those left standing tried with all their might to revolt. The city was being destroyed with each passing second. Buildings crumbling to the ground, a history of a long lived population being lost forever in a matter of momenets. To the people of Morgenheim this was a halocaust, to the Keepers Of The Will Of God it was divine right. All captured during the raid were branded on their forehead's with the crest of "The Keepers" and were to be converted or destroyed.  
  
"Sophia!" A tall man cried out as he ran down the streets of the burning city. The streets filled with chaos and littered with dead bodies. Burning cinders and the stench of burning flesh carried in the breeze. His light skin turned red and black from treading through ash and fire. He frantically searched for his wife and child. He felt the winds begin to shift, as if his fate was changing with each foot step. Every block he ran was an eternity. The winds were howling, he knew that he was running out of time, but all there was to do was keep running.  
  
"Give me the child!" An armed MT pilot ordered as he tried to pull the baby away from its desperate mother. She held on and fought as hard as she could to protect the life of her new born son.  
  
"Sophia!" The man shouted as he ran around the corner towards his home. His home had been burned to the ground. Standing out front he saw his wife as she was being brutally beaten and raped. Enraged he charged at his wifes assailant. His heart was pounding, his eyes were burning, thoughts of Sophia raced across his mind.  
  
The man's shoulder came crashing into the MT pilot's cranium, sending the pilot flying off of Sophia and into the burning pile of bodies. The pilot cried out in agony as his flesh was seared and melted off in a brief moment. His charred body fell forward and rested lifelessly ontop of the pile of burning bodies. How Ironic that he would meet the very same fate that his victims did.  
  
"Are you alright?" The man fell to his knees and embraced his wife as she remained broken on the ground.  
  
"Thomas." Tears filled her eyes as she pointed to the burning pile of corpses. She couldn't speak another word, all she could do was cry. The horror finally settled in and the man realized that she was informing him of the death of his son. His son Thomas had been raped from Sophia's arms and thrown to the flames moments before he came running around the corner. Sophia coughed violently and gasped for air as blood slowly ran from her mouth. She gathered the last bit of life she had in her to speak.  
  
"I will love you forever." She said as she beginning shaking.  
  
"No, Sophie no. Don't leave me like this, please. I love you." He whimpered.  
  
She pressed her bloody lips to his, then gazed into his eyes, placed her hand on his cheek, and smiled one last time before closing her eyes. His eyes were burning, his heart faint, as her body fell lifelessly in his arms. Sophia parted from his life forever.  
  
He was furious. Not even vengence could compensate for his loss, but only blood could fill the void that was now left in his life. And he would spill the blood of those who spilled the blood of his people. Without hesitation he headed off to the dead MT pilot's MT and climbed inside.  
  
It was nearly dawn and Morgenheim had been all but burned to the ground. Those who managed to keep their lives were being herded and rounded up like cattle. The glow of the burning city in the middle of the desert could be seen for miles. The AC was kneeling outside of the city and infront of it stood it's pilot. Outside of the destroyed city a long line of survivors where being marched to the AC pilot. Among these survivors was Sophia's brother, Derrick.  
  
Derrick approached the AC as the sun began to come over the horizon. Directly ahead of him was the AC pilot and a few armed MT pilots. To the left of that was a deep pit where they discarded the bodies of those who refused to repent in the name of "The Chosen One". Derrick watched as each person made their decision. Those who repented where branded and were taken away. Those who refused were executed in a number of ways and thrown to the pit. Derrick had made his decision from the begining. He stepped forward and looked straight into the eyes of the AC pilot.  
  
"Do you repent in the name of the Chosen One?" The AC pilot inquired. Thoughts raced through Derrick's mind. He was so certain of what he was going to do before, but now something was different. He wanted to live, but he was a righteous man in his own views and felt it necessary to make a stand. What kind of man would he be if he lied to himself and betrayed his own views?  
  
"I choose to live." Derrick replied charismatically.  
  
"Brand him." The AC pilot called out to one of the MT pilots.  
  
"No!" Derrick revolted.  
  
"What is the meaning of this? You were given the chance to make a choice and you did. Are you going back on your word?" The AC pilot was irritated.  
  
"I said I choose to live, not to be enslaved!" Derrick spit in the Raven's face. "I will not become one of you dogs!" Two of the nearby MT pilots grabbed at Derrick, trying to gain control over his actions.  
  
Sophia's husband was approaching fast in one of "The Keeper's" MT's along with a misfit band of construction and mining MT's piloted by other citizens of Morgenheim.  
  
"You won't get away with this! Someday someone will bring you down and destroy you all!" Derrick fuirously struggled with the MT pilots as they tackled him to the ground. Sophia's husband could see the struggle as he charged forward with his newly acquired MT. After a few moments he saw that the person struggling was Derrick, his best friend. He continued onward as fast as the MT could move.  
  
"You struggle against fate with all your will, but like all others who compromise the will of fate, you must be exterminated" The Raven spoke coldly to Derrick.  
  
The MT pilots held Derrick still. Derrick looked up, just to find himself staring down the barrel of a pistol.  
  
"Derrick! No!" Derrick's brother in law yelled at the top of his lungs as he was only seconds away from reaching Derrick.  
  
A shot rang out, and a body and an empty shell fell silently to the sands. It seemed as if the entire world had grown quiet.  
  
"Bastard!" Sophia's husband charged forward. He chambered the right arm of his MT. As he reached the Raven the right arm thrusted forward, impaling the Raven with a spike from the parrying bladed mounted on the MT's right arm. The AC pilot gasped for air, but could not breath do to the fact that a large spike had just torn out the majority of his organs located within his torso. Blood poured out from the Raven's mouth, and in seconds he was dead. Within moments the pilots of the construction and mining MT's had wiped out the majority of the MT pilots who were on foot. The batlle was won.  
  
With nothing left, the man who killed the Raven climbed into the cockpit of the AC and headed off aimlessly into the desert. He left to find himself, his center. To find a reason for living on. And he was determined to find these things. He thought that maybe he could find these things, in battle. 


	3. Severed

Chapter 3 "Severed"  
  
The clouds continue to roll in as the rain begins to fall. The ground cracks as the drops of water crash into it's barren surface, like metorites screaming down from space. In less than minutes he is drenched, yet relieved. As if the days burdens are being cleansed from his mind, and the heart stains on his hands are being purged. Recent events have left him drained and apathetic, this change in weather was like a change in his spirit as it prepared him for the task at hand. Taking one last good look at the three wooden crosses, he rises to his feet, turns his back, and walks away.  
  
"Raven its time." The radio in his vest pocket speaks out, the voice distorted due to interferences from the current weather condition.  
  
Once inside the cockpit of his AC, Power Trip, he responds in a calm, yet irritated voice. "Roger that. I'm on my way now."  
  
The rain pours off of the dark blue AC as rises from its crouching position. The gears turning and hydrolic pistons in the legs forcing the AC to its feet. The overboosters rise on the rear of his AC's core as he jets off into the distance.  
  
"Raven, the old space station is being assaulted by a group of MT's. These pilots are all members of 'The Keepers'. Their target is a network of abandoned tunnles underneath the space station. I'm uploading the area map to you now. Eliminate them before they find a way into the tunnles or cause a great deal of damage to the space station. I know you have had recent events with this organization, but don't let this be a personal vendetta. You and I both know how carried away you tend to get. I know what you would really like to hear is, 'exterminate with extreme prejeduce' and I am sorry for nagging. Just be careful."  
  
"Laura, you're a sweet girl and I appreciate your concern, but don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Out." He hates it when she gets so sentimental on him right before a mission. Though he appreciates the sincerity of an honest woman's voice. He used to have a male contact who was a prior raven and very skilled, but he lacked compassion and was a cold, bitter person.  
  
So many nights have been much like this one. Cold and lonelier than the distance between the stars. Everytime he pilots his AC he is taken over by adrenaline. This is what he lives for now, just him and his AC, Power Trip. Blazing across the desert towards his destination, he studies the map carefully.  
  
"Laura, where do these tunnles lead to?" He asks out of curiousity.  
  
"According to our archives they are unexplored, but these files are fairly new. I will see what I can find for you. "  
  
The dark blue AC approaches the old space station with no signs of any one else on the radar. The AC rapidly decreases its speed until it came to a halt. The space station yet another one hundred meters to the North. And to the South, a long streak of glass caused by the powerful overboost of the AC. The sand left melted under the heat and pressure of the overboosters and cooled into its glass form.  
  
He heads onwards with his blue AC, nearly invisible in the dark. His AC treading heavily on the landing pad of the space station. No signs of near by activity. He waites and closely observes his surroundings. Nothing, but sand and the space station. Then, a shot is fired.  
  
The round of a MWG-SRFE/8 energy sniper rifle barely glances the left leg of his AC, but its just enough to send his AC off balance and tumbling to the ground. The moment Power Trip makes its impact upon the landing pad, eight combat MT's with parrying blades and bazookas appear. Each one wearing a white robe with the markings of "The Keepers". Their emblem was often found somewhat disturbing. A large open palmed hand, fingers spread, with an eye in the center of the palm. A large dagger gouging the eye out, and circling around the eye the words "Close your eyes and follow us to The Chosen One".  
  
He quickly shifts around with the controls in the cockpit, manuevering his AC back to its feet. And calls out to Laura in a hesitant tone of voice, "This is Breaker, commencing operations."  
  
Power Trip charges forward with its MWG-MG/1000 lighting up the nearest MT in a hurl of machine gun rounds. The MT crashes to the landing pad before Breaker even reached it's position. He continues straight forward, ramming another one of the MT's, sending it flying backwards. Breaker switches on his overboosters and follows through with two fast slashes with his CLB-LS-2551 laser blade. Destroying the MT and killing the pilot before the MT even hits the ground.  
  
Three of the enraged MT pilots fire a volley of bazooka shells at Power Trip, blugeoning it in the core. Breaker, disoriented from the shell shock takes Cover behind a large boulder. The MT's continuing their assault, break apart and advance on his position in a flanking pattern. Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Breaker readies his shoulder mounted grenade launcher, and straifes hard to the right. His timing and aim are precise as the MT wanders helplessly into his line of sight. Three, two, one, he pulls the trigger. His AC jolts rearwards, it's legs stuggling to brace itself in the loose sand, as the powerful projectile departs towards its destined location, enlodging itself into the core of the enemy MT. Breaker finding himself very unamused when the grenade does not explode. Its as if the grenade itself is mocking him.  
  
The MT unleashes a bazooka round, and it screams towards Power Trip as the AC still struggles to recover from the effect of the grenade launcher's powerful recoil. With the round just moments away, Power Trip starts to straif to the left, but is nailed from behind with another energy sniper rifle shot. The shot forcing the AC to stumble forward, directly into the path of the bazooka round.  
  
The round lands a direct hit to Power Trip's left arm unit, severing it completely. Breaker revolts with another hurl of machine gun rounds, ending the short lived life of the misfortunate MT pilot.  
  
"Breaker, whats going on down there?" Laura's tone of voice makes it quite apparent that shes concerned.  
  
"I'm fine! Three down, five to go!" He proclaims his victory before its even near.  
  
"You mean six to go. I am picking up a high energy reading coming from ontop of the hill to the East. Its an AC, but I haven't gotten a positive identification on it. Breaker behind you and coming in fast! Its another AC!" Laura's voice sounding very tense.  
  
Breaker spins his AC around just in time to see the AC overboosting in from afar. He switches on his overboosters to go and rendevu with this incoming raven. His AC takes off, flying forward to the right, spinning around in circles. The entire world seems to be rotating at a greatly increased speed as he feels a gut wrenching feeling overcoming him. He realizes that the snipers shot has damaged his overboosters. Power Trip's frantic spin about quickly end as the AC crashes into the same boulder in which it had taken cover behind moments ago. Breaker grabs his head in agony, his ears ringing, his head aching, he wanted to vomit.  
  
"Breaker, target AC identified as Necrofix 6, piloted by Judas. Look alive he's coming in fast."  
  
"I see him, I see him." Seeming very irritated to say the least. "Look at this guy, he thinks he's some kind of bad ass, just charging in head first. That guy doesn't even have any main weapons from the looks of it."  
  
Power Trip drops its right knee to the ground and lowered itself in preperation to fire it's plasma cannon.  
  
"Lets see how he likes this!" Breaker pulls the trigger and fires a blast of plasma towards Judas. Necrofix 6 quickly jolts to the left and then back to the right, dodging the blast gracefully. The AC was advancing fast on Breaker's position, but he was determined to take it out before then. He fires again, and again, and again. Each blast is dodged with little effort. Breaker in shock by the reaction speed of this pilot and AC. He continues firing as it closes in on him.  
  
With one shot from his cannon left, he stops firing, waiting for the perfect time to fire. Ten seconds until Judas' AC is ontop of him. He counts down, eight, seven, six, five, four, fire! He pulls the trigger. The blast goes flying towards the AC. With just a split second until impact, Necrofix 6 jolts to the left and the plasma blast goes jetting by it, then the AC jerks back to the right and chambers its right arm. Just as it arrives to Breaker's position, Necrofix 6's right arm flys forward, making contact with Power Trips core, just below the cockpit. As the right fist of Judas' AC connects with Power Trip, two large spikes impale Power Trip, puncturing the AC's core all the way through, literally nailing it to the boulder its in front of.  
  
Power Trip falls silent as the spikes retract back to Necrofix 6's KWB-SBR44 right armed parrying blade. Power trip falls to the ground.  
  
"Dammit! You bastard!" Breaker, enraged, does everything he can to try to get his AC's recovery system up and running. There is no response at all. His cameras are off, his internal lights are off, his entire AC is powerless. He's alone in the dark, destined to meet with his fate. Its time to come to terms with reality and bite the bullet. He lowered his head in shame. He had failed. 


	4. Baptized In Blue

Chapter 4 "Baptized In Blue"  
  
"Blackwind, we've got ourselves a dissabled AC here. My sensors show that the pilot is still alive. Should I dispose of him?" He inquires, speaking in a deep tone.  
  
"Leave him Judas, he is no longer any threat to us." The women replies in a cold manner.  
  
The rain falls furiously as a dark AC stands tall looking down upon another. The black AC presents a haunting appearance. The surrounding area is filled with a dim green light. The rain reflecting the emitting green glow from Necrofix 6's camera. Judas, glaring down upon the mangled AC, hears the indacator from his radar go off.  
  
"Judas we have company. Stop messing around down there." Blackwind warns him. "This guys coming in too fast, I can't keep a lock on him. I'm sending out flares so we can get a better visual." Her AC sets it's sniper rifle down and picks up a large cannon. She pulls the trigger and the cannon lights the sky with a cluster of white flares, all attached to small parachutes.  
  
Judas looking to the East as several flares are fired from a a hill top position, bringing light to the dark and cold desert. And from the distance he sees an AC overboosting in to confront him.  
  
"I've got a positive identification. Its Maverick, piloting Maverick. Leave it to a macho hotshot to name his AC after himself. This guy should be no problem at all. I've got a lock on him now. I'll take a couple of shots at him from up here and you finish him off down there. Blackwind, over." She finished her transmission and her AC took hold of it's sniper rifle. Her velvet AC crouched down to steady itself. One and a half seconds. One and a half seconds is all it takes for a well trained military sniper to locate, lock on, and execute their target. For a heartless killing machine known as Blackwind, it only takes 0.7 second. Her days as an AC pilot have been spent peering through the lens of a scope. She has never seen combat on the front lines. She has always seen herself above grunt work thus she takes on a supporting role.  
  
"Good copy. I see him coming. See if you can disarm him with a couple of shots. I'll take him out up close and personal, just the way I like it. Judas, out." Its cold in the cockpit of the AC known ac Necrofix 6, but not as cold as the heart of the man that pilots it. Judas, a killer since childhood. A man who has taken the lives of hundreds, many without cause. The sheer sight of blood is always a euphoric scene to him. He lives to end life.  
  
Blackwind, breathing softly, steadying her heart beat, takes aim at Maverick as he charges in. Judas sitting calmly in his cockpit with his finger on the overboost release, waits patiently for the right moment to charge forward. This is the basic setup for these two mercanaries. For years they have worked together. Often taking on the more shady missions that other Ravens are just too uncomfortable doing. They have always worked together and have often been referred to as "The Sniper and The Blade".  
  
The white light from the flares is pierced by a flash of blue light as Blackwind takes her first shot at Maverick. The energy blast from the sniper rifle lands just in front of Maverick. Taking no regard to the sniper the pilot of the green and orange AC continues onward to encounter Judas. He readys his Karasawa as the AC lifts it's right arm, shining forth the majestic Karasawa. On the left shoulder of the green and orange AC is an emblem with the number "7" with a cowboy holding two revolvers in the foreground, outlining the number. This emblem and his past missions on Mars has earned him the nickname "Space Cowboy" by his friends.  
  
"Dammit!" She curses to herself. "I can't believe I missed that." She calms herself and takes aim again.  
  
Judas in preperation of his assault is alarmed as an onslaught of blue plasma come rainings in on his position. He looks around to find the rest of his MT squad gunned down in seconds. All he sees is blue, like an endless ocean of plasma baptizing the world around him. With only moments before falling victim to Maverick's waves of plasma spewing forth from the mouth of the Karasawa, Judas reacts only one intetion in mind, survival.  
  
Necrofix 6 reaches down to the powerless AC, Powertrip, and lifts it to its feat. Powertrip unwillingly supporting all its weight on Necrofix 6. Judas positions his AC, it's side facing towards the oncoming blast, its right leg set out to the right, all it's weight pressing forward on it's left leg to support the weight of Breaker's AC. Powertrip remaining silent, its dark blue paint scratched and worn away from the battle, and unable to protest its fate as it absorbed the first few bursts of plasma. The blasts continued one after another. Powertrip engulfed in blue as Necrofix 6 waits patiently, behind it's makeshift shield, waiting for the attack to end.  
  
"Maverick, cease fire! There's a freindly unit down there!" A woman's voice cried out over the radio. Maverick haulting his attack, allowing his Karasawa to rest. The rain evaporating before even making contact to the red hot Karasawa, causing it to be enveloped in steam.  
  
"I've got him!" Blackwind calling out to Judas as she pulls the trigger. A flash of pure energy makes perfect contact with Maverick's Karasawa sending it flying and nuetralizing its threat.  
  
"You bitch, you fried my Scarysawa." Maverick gripes to himself as he looks forward in irritation, only to find his target unharmed by his prior attack.  
  
Necrofix 6 still positioned with Breaker's AC leaning on him. Judas glances at the shattered AC, Powertrip rendured to nothing more than a melted and deformed core with shattered remains of limbs. Judas discards the AC as the rain cools the charred pieces of the former Powertrip. With Maverick's Karasawa out of the way, Judas switches on his overboosters to make his move.  
  
Maverick standing tall and ready to take on anything Judas can muster, just waits as Necrofix 6 flys towards him. The right arm of Necrofix 6 draws back in preperation of it's attack and closes in on Maverick. With a split second to his destination, Judas relases the right arm of his AC and it's fist flys forward on a collision course with Maverick. With grace and great reaction time Maverick rasises the left arm of his AC reveiling his grenade rifle. Judas, already achieving his AC's top speed, is left without time to react for what he sees happening next. Before either pilot realizes what has happened, Maverick is left standing as Necrofix 6 falls back, crashing to the desert floor. The blast of the grenade rifle leaving Necrofix 6 decapitated. Without giving any hesitation or time for Judas to recover, Maverick follows through with a volley of six missiles from his back mounted missile launcher and four more from his extensions.  
  
Judas unaware of his fate trys to blindly manuever his AC back to its feat, just to find himself blugeoned by several missiles. Three of the missiles impacting the right arm of Necrofix 6, imputating the arm. After years of combat and killing, Judas finds himself on his knees. Thoughts of all of those who begged for their lives flooded his mind. So many of them begged for mercy, and he showed them no such respect. He realizes that he too would recieve no mercy due to his ill actions. With the intention to survive still aroused in his spirit, he begans to lash out in all directions with Necrofix 6's Moonlight. Hoping to get lucky and cripple Maverick so that Blackwind could finish him off.  
  
"Blackwind I need backup now!" He yells to get her attention.  
  
"No need, he's gone. He took the other AC and left. I'm calling in a transport. We're heading home." 


End file.
